A notorious Australian Rock n' Roll institution founded in Sydney during 1976. With AC/DC's global success opening the doors many Australian acts, the heavily tattooed ROSE TATTOO's raucous street level brand of slide guitar driven highly charged Rock won over many fans. Front man Angry Anderson, bald, tattooed and mean, is an instantly recognisable figure across the world. However, his rebellious persona has another side as Angry Anderson's work with youth projects and as a cultural ambassador for his country has earnt him the Order of Australia medal. The original ROSE TATTOO, created by former BAND OF LIGHT bassist Ian Rilen, consisted of vocalist Tony Lake, ex-BUFFALO guitarist Pete Wells, rhythm guitarist Leigh Johnston and drummer Michael 'Stork' Vandersluys. Wells had previously been bassist with BUFFALO and appears on four albums.

Before long both Lake and Johnston were out and in came guitarist Mick Cocks and the diminutive ex-BUSTER BROWN singer Gary 'Angry' Anderson. Although small of stature, Angry's image and demeanour perfectly suited his character and gave ROSE TATTOO a unique focal point. ROSE TATTOO put in their inaugural live performance on new year's eve 1976. The band's early live sets included numerous covers including the ROLLING STONES' 'Street Fighting Man' but by mid 1977 the band had enough original material to go into the studio.

Working with the famous Harry Vanda and George Young partnered Albert Productions team, upon recommendation from AC/DC's Bon Scott, the band, now with another former BUSTER BROWN man Dallas 'Digger' Royall on drums, cut the 'Bad Boy For Love' single. However, just as the single was issued in October of 1977 founder member Rilen opted out to create Punk band X. Although 'Bad Boy For Love' entered the Australian top twenty the band were undergoing line-up ructions. Down to a quartet, Cocks manoeuvred over to bass until another BUFFALO refugee Chris Turner stood in on guitar. Eventually Anderson & Royal's BUSTER BROWN colleague Geordie Leach filled the four string position allowing Cocks to go back to guitar.

ROSE TATTOO hit the Australian club scene and soon became steadfast favourites. The debut album, again produced by Vanda and Young, 'Rose Tattoo' was issued in November 1978 provided a quite awesome statement of intent. The band also contributed two live tracks, 'Bad Boy For Love' and 'Rock n' Roll Outlaw', to the 'Canned Rock' compilation.

Leach quit the band in early 1979 to be followed shortly after by Cocks. ROSE TATTOO retired to rebuild itself and by October had announced a fresh line-up of Anderson, Wells, Royall, and former COLOURED BALLS, BUSTER BROWN, PURPLE HEARTS and WILD CHERRIES bassist LOBBY LLOYDE. By 1991 Leach was a member of the reformed SOUTHERN LIGHTNING.

ROSE TATTOO meantime issued an independent single in 1980 with this line-up 'Realise Legalise', a split single in aid of Marijuana legalisation in alliance with Colin Peterson. The same year ROSE TATTOO recorded an album in Los Angeles, which to this day has never been released. Undaunted though, by the end of the year ROSE TATTOO had secured international major label deals although a further setback occurred when Lloyde left the band. Leach was quickly re-enlisted in time for shows in Europe where the 'Rock n' Roll Outlaw' single was charting in Britain, France and Germany.

ROSE TATTOO arrived in Britain at the height of the Punk explosion and the band's image certainly assisted their cause in a climate obsessed with street culture. The band put in two sold out gigs at London's Marquee club and appeared at the prestigious Reading festival. Demand for the band in Europe was high and in 1981 ROSE TATTOO guested for RAINBOW.

The band's debut album was retitled 'Rock n' Roll Outlaw' for the European market where its follow up 'Assault And Battery', released in September 1981, also saw strong sales and generated a brace of Australian hit singles with 'Out Of This Place' and 'Manzil Madness'. In spite of their progress the band's line-up remained fluid as that same month Cocks bailed out to join HEAVEN, his position being taken by ex-REDHOUSE man Robin Riley. The projected recording schedule was put on ice though when Riley broke his arm in a motorbike accident.

'Scarred For Life' in 1982 enhanced ROSE TATTOO's standing in Australia where it went on to sell nearly 100'000 copies producing a hit single 'We Can't Be Beaten'. ROSE TATTOO put in their first American dates by guesting for ZZ TOP and AEROSMITH. The escalating upward turn of events did not prevent the band splintering once again though and in early 1983 Wells, Royal and Riley jumped ship. Wells founded SCATTERED ACES with his former BUFFALO vocalist Chris Turner issuing the 'Six Pack' EP in 1984.

For a summer tour of Australia with THE ANGELS and CHOIRBOYS the new look ROSE TATTOO had Anderson and Leach in union with slide guitarist Greg Jordan, ex-FATTY LUMPKIN, SARACEN, EVEREST and SHARON O'NEIL band guitarist John Meyer and drummer Robert Bowron, the latter soon supplanted by former JIMMY & THE BOYS drummer Scott Johnson.

ROSE TATTOO's fourth album 'Southern Stars' was issued in late 1984 just as Leach departed to team up Riley again, by now with ILLUSTRATED MEN. ROSE TATTOO cut this opus with with Angry Anderson on vocals, guitarist John Meyer, slide guitarist Greg Jordan, bass player Geordie Leach and Scott Johnston on drums. However, 'Southern Stars' strangely was only granted an Australian release, through Albert Productions, leaving their international fans forced to pay out high import prices. As the new year dawned ROSE TATTOO's troubles increased as Jordan also quit.

The new look ROSE TATTOO signed to Mushroom Records and their cover of STEPPENWOLF's 'Born To Be Wild', another Australian hit, was recorded with new members bassist Andy Cichon and guitarist Tim Gaze. The latter having been in numerous acts such as his own TIM GAZE BAND, ARIEL, Bob Daisley's KAHVAS JUTE and TAMAMSHUD. This period also found Anderson spreading his wings into the world of celluloid appearing in the 'Bullamakanka' movie prior to a high profile role as Ironbar Bassey in 'Mad Max III: Beyond Thunderdome'.

With ROSE TATTOO in stasis Meyer rejoined SARACEN, issuing a self titled album on the French Axekiller label in 1986. SARACEN evolved into TRILOGY and later Meyer became a member of CHAIN.

ROSE TATTOO's last album, 'Beats From A Single Drum' issued in 1986, was originally intended as a solo Angry Anderson solo effort. Produced by Kevin Beamish the album saw contributions from Gaze, Cichon and Johnson. The resulting record, a more refined effort bearing in mind Beamish's previous work with AOR giants, gave the act another hit. However, the ballad 'Suddenly', subsequently used as the them for the famous Kylie / Jason wedding scene in the 'Neighbours' television soap, was issued as an ANGRY ANDERSON solo single as Anderson scored his first Australian number one single, ironically knocking Kylie Minogue's 'Locomotion' off the top spot.

ROSE TATTOO toured Australia once more in 1987 with fresh personnel bassist Jack Landt and keyboard player Rick Mellick but broke up shortly after. In America meanwhile burgeoning Rock giants GUNS N' ROSES included a live cover of 'Nice Boys (Don't Play Rock n' Roll)' on their 'Live Like A Suicide' EP. Mushroom Records duly re-issued the 'Beats From A Single Drum' album the following year re-packaged as an ANGRY ANDERSON solo record.

1989 found former ROSE TATTOO men Riley and Johnson as members of MAMA'S DARLINGS with ex-TOUGH LUXURY singer Stuart Cave, former AC/DC bassist Mark Evans and erstwhile HEAVEN guitarist John Haese. Interest in ROSE TATTOO was still riding high in Germany where the debut album was re-issued complete with an additional eight extra tracks including live material. A steady flow of compilations also followed. ANGRY ANDERSON issued a further solo album 'Blood From Stone' in 1991. Sad news that same year had Dallas Royall losing his lengthy battle with cancer.

GUNS N' ROSES toured Australia in 1993, part of the deal with the promoters being that ROSE TATTOO open the shows. The band featured Anderson, Wells, Cocks, Leach and drummer Paul DeMarco. The latter was from Wells' act SCATTERED ACES, where he had gone under the pseudonym Fred Zeppelin, and later act HEART ATTACK that had included Cocks. ROSE TATTOO put in these outdoor gigs and added headlining club shows to boot. An EP 'Bad Boy For Love' was issued to commemorate the reformation.

Leach subsequently joined THE GIANTS whilst Wells concentrated on a solo career. His first post ROSE TATTOO solo record 'No Hard Feelings'; has contributions from both Leach and DeMarco. A later version of THE PETE WELLS BAND included DeMarco, Cocks and Cichon. Wells worked with American Andy 'Andyboy' Anderson on the German issued ROMEO DOG project a 1995 album. Andyboy subsequently issued a tribute album 'A Tribute To The Boys' under the banner of ROSE TATTWHO? that featured Wells and Cichon.

American Metal band KEEL paid tribute in 1998 by covering 'Rock n' Roll Outlaw' on their 'Larger Than Live' album. The same year ROSE TATTOO, with original bassist Ian Rilen replacing Leach, regrouped for the 'All Hell Breaks Loose' Australian tour co-headlining with THE ANGELS. This formation soon fractured upon completion of these dates, Rilen being replaced once again by Leach.

During 1999 the band put in a sterling performance at the annual 'Wacken' festival in Germany with the entire show being taped for the '25 To Life' live album. The record, produced by SAXON manager Rainer Hansel and mixed by BRAZEN ABBOTT guitarist NIKOLO KOTZEV, emerged through Steamhammer SPV Records in Europe. Festival gigs in Germany during June saw the band sharing a billing with BȪHSE ONKELZ, SAXON and DANZIG. Bassist Steve King was enrolled in 2000.

ROSE TATTOO's enduring status in Europe resulted in a full blown headline tour of Germany in July 2001. The band also put in special guest slots to German megastars BȪHSE ȪNKELS. The band announced a series of festival appearances in the Low Countries and at the Derby 'Rock n' Blues' festival and a low key London Garage gig in the UK, supported by BLAZE, for the summer of 2002. Press reports from these European concerts heaped praise upon the band.

During mid 2003 ROSE TATTOO guitarist Pete Wells formulated a new power trio entitled ROCKS PUSH, releasing the album 'Three Good Reasons For The Blues' through Big Rock Records. Wells reverted to bass guitar for this project, which saw him working alongside vocalist / guitarist Chris Turner and drummer Rob Grosser. ROSE TATTOO themselves remained active, touring Australia in July. Still active in 2004, ROSE TATTOO lent support to DEEP PURPLE's April gig at the State Theatre in Sydney. That same month Los Angeles Hard Rockers L.A. GUNS cut a rendition of 'Rock n' Roll Outlaw' for their 2004 album 'Rip The Covers Off'. A lengthy round of European tour dates that Summer would see Pete Wells sitting out as he battled with prostate cancer, guitarist Dai Pritchard taking over the position.

Mick Cocks would be active with his DOOMFOXX side project, cutting an EP for Blast Records and performing Australian live shows in April 2005. Pete Wells would also engage in recording his second solo album and act as co-producer for an album for Brisbane's ROBBERS DOG. ROSE TATTOO embarked on a lengthy run of European tour dates that Summer. With Wells being unable to make the trek due to "health issues" (revealed as prostate cancer), original member Mick Cocks filled the vacancy.

On 27th March 2006 Pete Wells passed away. He was just 58 years old.

July found ROSE TATTOO in the studio working with producer Mark Opitz on a new album. An opening single, 'Black Eyed Bruiser', a song written by the band's original production team, Harry Vanda and George Young, also hosted three additional live tracks recorded live in Sydney at the Pete Wells Benefit Concert, 'Rock 'n' Roll Outlaw', 'Remedy' and 'Astra Wally'.

Angry Anderson, Geordie Leach, Ian Rilen, Rob Riley, Mick Cocks and the late Pete Wells and Dallas "Digger" Royal were collectively inducted into the ARIA Hall of Fame in August. Performing ROSE TATTOO songs in their honour would be JET, THE LIVING END, THE CASANOVAS and the SPAZZYS. Back in the recording studio in mid August, ROSE TATTOO welcomed bassist Lobby Loyde back into the fold. Australian concerts throughout September and October included a benefit for Ian Rilen in Melbourne on October 6th plus appearances at the Bathhurst festival in Carrington Park on the 7th and the Meredith Music festival on the 8th.

The 'Blood Brothers' album was released in February 2007 in Europe by Armageddon Music. On February 25th 2007 over 10,000 AC/DC fans gathered at Claremont Showground for a Bon Scott tribute concert. Music was provided by ROSE TATTOO with THE ANGELS and THE SCREAMING JETS.

March and April 2007 live shows in the UK and Europe were lined up with SAXON and MASTERPLAN.

ROSE TATTOO's management announced in April 2009 that the band's guitarist and founding member, Mick Cocks, had been diagnosed with liver cancer and secondary tumours in his lungs. ROSE TATTOO took part in a benefit concert for Mick Cocks called 'One Of The Boys' on Friday, 24th July at the Enmore Theatre in Sydney alongside JIMMY BARNES, YOU AM I, IAN MOSS, DON WALKER, THE RADIATORS, PHIL SMALL, DAVE TICE AND MARK EVANS, STEVE PRESTWICH and LUCY DE SOTO.